Gareth Southgate’s side will look for an improved performance having largely disappointed at Euro 2024. We look ahead to Saturday’s quarter-final with our England vs Switzerland prediction and preview.
England vs Switzerland Stats: The Key Insights
- England are backed by the Opta supercomputer to defeat Switzerland inside 90 minutes, winning 45.6% of pre-match simulations.
- This will be Gareth Southgate’s 100th international match in charge of England, becoming only the third manager to hit the milestone.
- England have lost just one of their last 24 meetings with Switzerland in all competitions (W17 D6).
The condemning headlines were almost filed, knee-jerk social media reactions prepared and clamours for a new manager half typed out as Gareth Southgate’s England tenure seemed set to end with a whimper against Slovakia. Yet the Three Lions somehow made it to the Euro 2024 quarter-finals.
Switzerland await on Saturday in Düsseldorf, where England must improve on their largely toothless last-16 performance against Slovakia that almost resulted in a humiliating exit.
Ivan Schranz’s cool first-half finish had Francesco Calzona’s side on course for a mammoth upset until Jude Bellingham – of course – saved the day with England’s latest regular-time goal in European Championship history.
Timed at 94 minutes and 34 seconds, Bellingham’s salvation act would have been enough to toast England’s new hero, yet the manner he did it in was even more impressive. An acrobatic overhead kick sent the game to extra-time on Sunday before Harry Kane scored just 50 seconds into the additional 30 minutes to snatch a 2-1 victory.
From seemingly down and out, England kept their hopes in Germany alive and, in turn, staved off the awaiting criticism – Declan Rice insisted after the game his side would do “anything to protect” manager Southgate.
That fighting spirit was difficult to identify for large parts against Slovakia but England are still through to their fourth straight quarter-finals at a major tournament (World Cup/Euros) for the first time. All of those have come under the much-maligned Southgate.
They’ve progressed from two of their four Euros quarter-final matches, too, though three of the four such games have been decided by a dreaded penalty shootout.
A personal milestone awaits Southgate at the Düsseldorf Arena as well, with the 53-year-old set to become the third England manager to take charge of 100 international games. Walter Winterbottom drew his milestone match 3-3 with Northern Ireland in 1958, while Alf Ramsey won his 1-0 against Wales in 1972.
England could also record another landmark on Saturday as they aim to become the sixth European side to earn 50 victories at major tournaments – after Germany, Italy, France, Spain and the Netherlands. The Three Lions currently sit on 49 wins from 116 matches, knowing a landmark triumph would secure a semi-final berth.
Selection remains another bone of contention within the England camp. Luke Shaw’s fitness continues to be an issue at left-back, while Southgate is yet to see the best from Phil Foden or Bukayo Saka out wide, with Anthony Gordon keenly waiting for his chance.
Kieran Trippier also appears in danger of missing out, with media reports suggesting Southgate will opt for a back three. Having filled in as a makeshift left-back, the Newcastle defender has created more chances (7) and managed more line-breaking passes behind the defensive line (6) than any other England player at Euro 2024.
Ezri Konsa is expected to come into the starting XI alongside John Stones and Kyle Walker in a back three, with Marc Guéhi set to be absent due to suspension.
Whoever starts in defence will have to contend with a Switzerland side scoring from all angles – indeed, their seven different scorers at this edition are the most they have had at a major tournament.
Xherdan Shaqiri, Dan Ndoye, Kwadwo Duah, Breel Embolo and Michel Aebischer have all netted, while Remo Freluer and Rubén Vargas scored in Saturday’s 2-0 win over Italy in the first knockout round.
England will face another familiar face in midfield, too, in Granit Xhaka. The former Arsenal midfielder has created more chances (8), completed more passes (254) and made more line-breaking passes (51) than any other Switzerland player in this tournament.
Xhaka’s exploits will be integral once again for Switzerland, who have lost just one of their last 14 matches at the Euros (W5 D8). Concerningly for boss Murat Yakin, however, two of the draws in that run have ended in a penalty shootout defeat.
And could pressure weigh heavy on the Swiss shoulders again?
Switzerland are set to appear in the quarter-finals of a major tournament for just a fifth time, and only their second at the Euros after 2020. They have been eliminated at this stage in all four of their previous attempts; the most any European nation has featured in quarter-finals of major tournaments without ever participating in a semi-final.
England vs Switzerland Head-to-Head
Although Switzerland are in impressive form heading into this clash, Southgate may well be confident due to England’s one-sided head-to-head record in this fixture.
England have lost just one of their last 24 meetings with Switzerland in all competitions (W17 D6), and are unbeaten in 13 (W9 D4) since a 2-1 loss in a World Cup qualifier in May 1981.
Shaw and Kane were on target in their most recent meeting, a 2-1 friendly victory back in March 2022, as Embolo’s opener was cancelled out by the hosts at Wembley Stadium.
This will be the fourth meeting between the pair at a major tournament, and third at the European Championship. England have a favourable record in that respect, too, winning 2-0 in the 1954 World Cup and 3-0 at Euro 2004, while being held to a 1-1 draw at Wembley in the opening game of the 1996 edition.
England vs Switzerland Prediction
The Opta supercomputer backs England to make the semi-finals for a second straight edition of the Euros, with Southgate’s side winning inside 90 minutes in 45.6% of 10,000 pre-match simulations.
Switzerland continued their strong showings at this tournament with a victory in 24.8% of the same data-led sims, while the game went to extra-time more often in 29.6% of them. England are given a 61.6% chance of progressing from the tie when an additional 30 minutes and/or penalties are taken into consideration, while Switzerland have a 38.4% probability.
In Opta’s tournament predictions, England (17.4%) have just fallen behind Spain (33.7%) and France (29.4%) with both of their rivals already in the semi-finals. Switzerland, by contrast, have just a 5.5% chance of unlikely Euro 2024 glory.
England vs Switzerland Squads
England
Aaron Ramsdale, Dean Henderson, Jordan Pickford, Ezri Konsa, Joe Gomez, John Stones, Kieran Trippier, Kyle Walker, Lewis Dunk, Luke Shaw, Marc Guéhi, Adam Wharton, Conor Gallagher, Declan Rice, Jude Bellingham, Kobbie Mainoo, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Anthony Gordon, Bukayo Saka, Cole Palmer, Eberechi Eze, Harry Kane, Ivan Toney, Jarrod Bowen, Ollie Watkins, Phil Foden.
Head coach: Gareth Southgate
Switzerland
Gregor Kobel, Yann Sommer, Yvon Mvogo, Cédric Zesiger, Fabian Schär, Leonidas Stergiou, Manuel Akanji, Nico Elvedi, Ricardo Rodríguez, Silvan Widmer, Ardon Jashari, Denis Zakaria, Fabian Rieder, Granit Xhaka, Michel Aebischer, Remo Freuler, Renato Steffen, Rubén Vargas, Steven Zuber, Vincent Sierro, Xherdan Shaqiri, Breel Embolo, Dan Ndoye, Kwadwo Duah, Noah Okafor, Zeki Amdouni.
Head coach: Murat Yakin
England vs Switzerland Predicted Lineups
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